Tedious, ungrammatical, unoriginal and tasteless crap from someone old enough to know better.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Gin soaked barroom queen.

I recently obtained a copy of the film “Shine a Light”.

The subject matter consists largely of a Mr Jagger arsing around like a preposterous prancing prat. This may come as little surprise to many of you, but I have to confess to a slight sense of disappointment. I don’t know quite what I expected, but I did not foresee having what little respect I have left for these people being further eroded. I should say at this point, before Tom gets even more upset, that I still like their music, at least as much as any other rock group. For me they were the outstanding group of the 60s, and the most exciting musical events were the playing on the radio of their latest records, which were instantly recognisable as being by them. At the time they also represented in some ways the changes that were happening in society, and became for a time icons. This changed slowly and sadly. They sold out long ago and have contributed nothing to the world apart from the occasional above average song every 3 years or so since 1970. I know people who have enjoyed going to their concerts and am pleased for them. I, however, have now been cured of the desire to go to one. Of course it must be difficult to retain any sense of perspective when you are thrust into the media, surrounded by hype, libidinous women, narcotics and all the other trappings of fame. Only Dave among the readers here will be able to relate to that, and yet he has remained the same gentle and modest chap that he has always been.Another little outburst of iconoclastic irritancy then.

The only band I ever want to see again, and will have to wait until we all are, is the Dead. I may be guilty of over romanticising it, but it was something like the feeling of being part of an experience where the performers had no other agenda other than to perform and share the music. Of course, once you see them live, then you spend the rest of your life trying to find a recording of their music that is even a quarter as good as their stage show. You will be wasting your time, and you know it, but persist regardless. If that was not quite cross enough for you on a Sunday evening, allow me to get a trifle agitated about DVD’s. You buy the fucker, put it in the fucking machine and then a have to fucking wait for a fucking minute and a fucking half for the fucking film to fucking begin. On the aforementioned “Give a shite”, a minute and a quarter of this consists of being extolled not to download films from the electric internet. Bastards. I have just bought your bastard product, and you think you have the bastard right to tell me not to bastard steal your bastard property. Bastards. As if it isn’t e-bastard-nough to know that these bastards have 83 million times as much money as I will ever bastard have. If I did download the bollocky film then at least I wouldn’t have to listen to your bollocky sermons. (that’s enough bollocks. Ed.)

I'm one of those who didn't "get" the Dead thing but perhaps I'm not quite old enough and my Mum wouldn't let me take drugs when I was 8. Most of them are dead now though aren't they? It's unusual that you can't get a recording of their shows though - wasn't it a feature of every gig that as soon as they walked on stage a forest of microphones would appear held aloft from the audience?

Richard. I didn't get it either, till I saw them. I was transformed from curious to fan within 10 minutes. Yes, not only did they allow people to record their shows, they set aside areas for those people so that they could get the best acoustics for recording. But, old sprout, you haven't been paying attention, have you? None of their recordings, even those of live concerts, ever come near the experience of being there. Don't ask me why, it's just one of the basic laws of the cosmos.

I saw Shine a Light and found it rather disappointing for various reasons, and reading interviews with Mr Scorsese and Mr Jagger led to further disillusionment. I didn't like how the film was mostly taken up with the band on stage recently with only a miniscule portion of it showing interesting and thought provoking archive footage. I also disagreed with the part where Clinton came up onstage to meet the Stones, I learnt that the show was filmed over two seperate nights, the part with Clinton was the only footage from night A used in the film, a bit of visual name dropping by Scorsese there perhaps? But what annoyed the most was the fact that the people in the cinema were dropping dead on account of their senility, seriously, am I the only person under the age of forty to have loved the Stones (saw them in 2007)?

If you're looking for a better Scorsese music fillum, you should check out No Direction Home if you haven't already, it's the Bob Dylan one and it's brilliant.

By the way, Scurra, I got one of these blog things like what you got inzit bruvting.

Yes, Joe, there are lots of better Scorsese films, and yes, you are the only person under 40 who likes the Stones. Alas, I prefer not to go with you next time you see them, you will have to find some other responsible adult to accompany you.Hey, everybody, go and read Joe's blog. He's only 12 and can read and write and everything.